During the period 1946 – 1996, the Royal Air Force procured three separate and distinct generations of Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). The first was the Avro Shackleton, which was introduced in three variants, MR1, MR2 and MR3 during the period 1951 to 1956. These aircraft continued in service until replaced by the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR1 from 1969, a design that was updated to MR2 specification in 1979. The final procurement cycle was for a Replacement Maritime Patrol Aircraft (RMPA), which saw the ordering of the British Aerospace Nimrod 2000 in 1996. The selection of these aircraft was governed by the prevailing political imperatives of the times, combined with the efforts of the aerospace industry to promote their products, and the need for the government to balance the needs of Defence, the Treasury, and the international diplomatic environment with that of domestic voters. This thesis examines the three procurements to build a picture of how, during a period of British political and economic decline, RAF procurements moved from being a military-led exercise, to one where, as the Cold War progressed, political and industrial considerations both at home and abroad took precedence.
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